I never really meant to become a daily cyclist.
I moved Toronto with a car. A fairly reliable car that was decent on gas. I drove to job interviews and I drove around the corner to get groceries. I drove to the drive-thru to get late night burgers. I drove my empties to The Beer Store. If I was meeting friends for drinks, I wouldn’t drive. But, that’s the only time I left my car at home.
I did have a bicycle with me initially. I rode along the trails in the Don Valley. I didn’t have a lock, so I never left my bike unattended. I rarely took my bike out on the streets, just the ones I had to use in order to get to the trails. I went out maybe 6 or 7 times on my bike that summer.
Then I noticed a change. I started gaining weight. I started to feel really sluggish. I started to get really lazy. And then I realized I was only in my late 20’s. This shouldn’t be happening. Where was my energy going?
At first, I blamed my diet. Fast food in the morning, fast food for lunch, fast food for an after dinner snack. The problem seemed obvious.
I went on a detox from processed, fake foods. It helped. I lost some weight and felt better about myself.
But, it wasn’t enough. I had more energy, but not enough to keep up with my friends on the weekends. There was still a problem.
I found the problem was parked in my driveway.
One day, I counted the steps I took. From home to car, car to office, office to car, car to home. It wasn’t even 100 steps. So I started to walk. But, my office is 23 km away, that’s too far to walk.
As luck would have it, my car broke down. “That will be $1,500″ the mechanic told me. A few weeks later, “That will be $2,700.” And then I got rid of my car.
Public transit. Let someone else do the driving. Ride the Rocket!
Well, this rocket hasn’t got much thrust. I read a lot on the bus. Bouncing from stop to stop sitting on seats designed for small children. If I had somewhere to go, plan ahead for delays, expect delays, leave plenty of time.
Then I bought a bicycle. I searched online, I knew what I wanted. I knew what money I had to spend, it wasn’t much. You can’t get a car for what I had in my bank account. You couldn’t even get car parts.
But I could (oh, and I did) get a bicycle.
“You’ll take me places” I said. I meant around town on the weekend, but my bicycle has taken me much further.
Since May, four days a week, 50 km a day, plus weekend trips around town. I’ve shed the bad habits I picked up in my car. Much less fast food. Much more more activity. Much less fat stored in my gut. Much more energy.
I’ll get a call, “Duncan, let’s meet up.”
“Sure, just let me grab my bike.”
Fantastic journey! Keep on keepin’ on!
what a great inside look to your lifestyle change…
Very nice post.
After reading it I was wondering myself, and me: what? when?…
In fact, coming from France, young I had a bike to go from my house to my friend’s house. I can just picture the little printed badge on the front of white classic bike. I felt I was Poncherello in CHiPS, hmpff memories. During my teenage years I was living in Paris’s suburban = no bike, or just the just time it get stolen. It just when I moved to UK than I rediscovered biking. It was freedom again = born again. Since I am in Mtl, I did think about it and I took my time to choose The Bike.
Now riding the Globe Live, chosen for the front large “trunk”, I have the opportunity to test something else : groceries, bread(yes baguette!
), bagels, … nothing is anymore too far or heavy.
Inspiring post. Thanks Duncan you made my day.